Leadership Contest
I have previously
made public my support for Andy Burnham as Leader of the Labour Party. I like his approach, I like his background, and I like
his priorities.
However, it now seems clear that Andy is unlikely to win this contest - at least this
time round, so I’m supporting David Miliband for the next Leader of the Labour Party.
I believe David is the right candidate because he can rebuild our party and win back support
for Labour in the country. He is Labour to the core and has the vision to oppose the Tories and change Britain for the better,
and he has the combination of youth and experience to take our party and country forward.
Call me a cynic if you will - but
sometimes some tactical voting is called for!
 
Well, they didn't waste any time, did they? All
the things we feared, all the things we warned about - we were right. The partners in the so-called * Coalition Government
have reverted to type.
The world-wide economic crisis was not caused by the previous Labour government, but
by the banking industry - Private industry, not Public Services.
But the Tories are using this crisis to
give them an excuse to put in place their real philosophical policies. While maintaining that their savage cuts are 'unavoidable',
they are gleefully penalising ordinary people, threatening jobs, homes and whole communities. Sound familiar? Anyone remember
the 80s? Anyone remember Thatcher?
And as for the Lib Dems - they've sold out to the Tories big time. There's
no way back for them now. Even local Lib Dem members find it difficult to support their chiefs in Westminster, or to justify
what they're doing. But do their masters care? Why should they? Nick is sitting on the front bench like a child in a sweet
shop that's been opened especially for him. And Vince is learning not to look so uncomfortable about the whole thing.
What price power - and what price credibility.
But here in Wales we have a buffer in the form of the Assembly.
While our budgets from Westminster will be drastically cut, at least the WAG can decide how that budget is spent, and what
its policies are. Admittedly, it will have one arm tied behind its back by the devastating loss of funding it will receive,
but it's there, working for the people and the communities of Wales, doing all it can to minimise the worst of the ConDem
policies.
We need the Labour Party as much as we have ever needed them - and we can show it next May - or
is it June??!!! We can show it again in 2012 when we can work to gain control of the Councils, so that they too can help to
offset some of the worst excesses of this appalling government.
(* Why do I call them a 'so-called coalition'?
Because it's not a coalition at all - it's a take-over.)
The General Election campaign in the Vale of Glamorgan was
a very positive experience - we put up a tremendous fight against impossible odds, and the final outcome has resulted
in the Vale still being a marginal seat, rather than the safe Tory seat that the Conservatives, and many in the media, had
predicted. I made some very good friends in the Vale, and I will always be grateful for their friendship and their
support. I also learned a lot from a team of people who have always had to fight hard at every election, and have an excellent
campaigning record.
Now I'm back at Bridgend Council in my role as Cabinet Member for Children & Young People,
and I'm very fortunate that I have a rewarding and challenging position to go back to.
If you wish to ask me a question, or tell me about an issue important to you,
you
can:
* email me at davies.alana@googlemail.com
* telephone me on 07985 650746
Thank you
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